2025 Investment Markets Year-End Report: Commodities Were the King!

December 20, 2025 – 2025 went down in history as a year of triumph for global investment markets, heavily dominated by commodities. Thanks to geopolitical tensions, inflation concerns, an industrial demand boom (especially green energy and AI data centers), and supply squeezes, precious and industrial metals hit record highs. In contrast, equity markets saw modest gains, while the cryptocurrency class generally disappointed. Approximate performances from the beginning of the year (YTD) are as follows:
Silver: +128% to +130%
The clear star of the year! Reached record levels with supply shortages and enormous demand from solar panels, electric vehicles, and data centers.
Gold: +65%
Showed a strong rise with safe-haven demand and heavy central bank purchases, breaking its own records.
Copper: +34%
As the leader of industrial metals, it benefited from green transformation and infrastructure demand. Nasdaq: +18-22% (approximately 20%)
Positive, led by technology stocks, but lagged behind commodities.
S&P 500: +15-16%
Broad market index posted steady gains.
Russell 2000 (small-cap stocks): +11-13%
Lagged behind large-cap stocks, but gained momentum towards the end of the year.
On the crypto side, the picture is more mixed and generally weak:
Bitcoin: Slightly positive or neutral
Although it saw jumps of over 100% during the year, it lost momentum towards the end of the year.
Ethereum: Slightly negative (approximately -10%)
Affected by shrinking risk appetite despite network improvements.
Altcoins (general): Mostly negative, many coins experienced 20-50%+ drops.
The weakest within the crypto class; regulatory uncertainties and volatility prevailed. In 2025, commodities were by far the best-performing asset class. Geopolitical risks and structural demand growth fueled this rally. Equities remained positive thanks to technology and growth stocks, but failed to make a major leap. Cryptocurrencies, however, stood out as the weakest class – altcoins in particular suffered heavy losses. Experts predict that volatility will continue in 2026, but commodity demand (especially the green energy transition) will remain strong. On the crypto side, there is potential for recovery with maturation and regulatory clarity, but the risks are high. Always do your own research and seek professional advice. Markets are entering 2026 with optimism.
#2025GateYearEndSummary